First off, you need to compare prices. My sister had a Blackberry and in order to get the GPS that comes standard with the iPhone she had to pay extra, so that increased her bill, so if you think you might need that in a pinch consider it. You'll need to check things you can get with or without a Blackberry or any other phone. Secondly, check and see if you're eligible for an upgrade to the new iPhone. Thirdly, the iPhone 4 hasn't been out that long when you look at the grand scheme of it. You don't need a new one unless it's broken, so I feel like this could be an extreme waste of money. People are still using 3G's and iPhone still covers their insurance, you are still ahead of the game technology-wise. The only reason to get a better phone (instead of just replacing yours if it's broken) is because people sometimes want something shiny and new to play with. This isn't practical, be cost-effective.

I have had Blackberries previously that were provided by my employer, primarily for work use. This may make my opinion of them somewhat slanted, as I couldn't necessarily do what I wanted/needed with the phones. That being said I find Blackberries excellent at what they were originally designed for - namely business phones for business applications. The obviously now have features for the consumer buyer, but I always felt they excel at business applications. So in my opinion, if you are looking for a solid phone that handles email and BBM well, go for a Blackberry.

If on the other hand you are looking for a similar experience to your iPhone, either stick with your iPhone/get a new one, or try out an Android smart phone. I currently have a Samsung Galaxy S Vibrant as my personal phone, which I love (although I am still longing for some of the apps I got used to on my iPod and iPhone).

"I have a hard on for Alexstrasza and I don't want her to die before I can make her my personal mount in both of her forms"* Jet Zeppelin
"give Paragon o kick in their face with your fist "

I would suggest you wait for the next iPhone. Unless you're into heavy customization and plan on doing neat software stuff, then an Android isn't going to be the best bet because iPhone software is designed and optimized for easy usage. The Blackberry phones are okay, but they're not as good as an iPhone or Android device.

No Blackberry is in any way, shape, or form better than the iPhone 4. You will begin to miss features that you're used to having with your iPhone within minutes of owning a Blackberry. As a person whose owned an iPhone for a number of years, but works with Blackberries almost daily, I can guarantee you'll want to pull your hair out while trying to do simple tasks like check email, surf the web, or browse Facebook - the iPhone interface for these apps (and thousands more) simply blows any Blackberry on the market away. Not to mention, I can promise you that you'll want apps from your iPhone that do not exist on a Blackberry.

If you do not want your phone to get scratched, then take better care of it: do not keep it in a purse/bag or in the same pocket as your keys. Put it in a hard plastic case and cover the front with a clear screen protector. I implore you not to switch to a Blackberry, if you want something new, get an Android based phone.

Originally Posted by Bartock

I have had Blackberries previously that were provided by my employer, primarily for work use. This may make my opinion of them somewhat slanted, as I couldn't necessarily do what I wanted/needed with the phones. That being said I find Blackberries excellent at what they were originally designed for - namely business phones for business applications. The obviously now have features for the consumer buyer, but I always felt they excel at business applications. So in my opinion, if you are looking for a solid phone that handles email and BBM well, go for a Blackberry.

Actually, in my experiences, many companies are doing away with Blackberry support. Android and iOS both support Exchange and other business functions much better than the BB, so they're switching to these platforms. Also, there is an app for Android and iOS that mirrors BBM, and it is cross platform (meaning you can message Android users with your iPhone or vice versa).